Hydroplane motor-boat.



C. MELDAU.

HYDBOPLANE MOTOR BOAT.

APPLICATION Hmm :53.141,1909.

Patented N0?. 22, 1910.

C. MELDAU.Y

BYDROPLAHB MOTOR BOAT.

Hmm-:nox FILED 1m31.120s. v

Patented No`v.22, 1910.

3 SHEETS--BHEBT 3.

.629i www oo UNITED STATES PATEN T OFFICE. i

CHARLES MEL-DAU, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

HYDROPLANE IJGTOR-BOAT.

Specification of letters Patent.

citizen of the United Sintes of America. re- Covers or shields C Cl :It the bow :1nd stern sidingr in New York. in the borough of )llln- 0f lll@ bOllI- The bO'Om 0f lle HlUOY-bOt hnuni'l. eountv :md Seite of Nmvork. tml-e provided with inclined steps a which er Go invented eel-thin new luid useful Improvetend from n point nemthc bow to the stern ments'in llydroplnne Motor-Bouts, of which f Ille bont, the steps being formed of tapertllc following is n speeiezltion. ulg wooden lilllng-p'leces. and sheet-metal This invention relates to certain ilnfrove- Cfll'lll-S: l5 Shawn m FISE' l and 2' .A ments in motor-bouts, und more especially 50111111" kcel L; @Xlld Shing ille bowl to that type of motor bozlts known fis h ldrounil fl r-Ufld ftmml 1:3" m01 h1 wm 50m@ plone motor-boats. in which :l plurality of PQml lbollt I llldllf Oh@ lllll l0 l Stem: hvdroplnnes cnn be moved to some distance ilf kllfl if lcl'ellslllg m dUl)th S0 s l0 ,act below the holonl ol the motor-bont. when' m lh@ llilllll@ 01l il CLUUV-lllllld fol keelmg err-lY lpg hitler i5 rn be )mn-Qd al gyciltgy :le motolkbont. stelldv when the salme 1S 70 speed. lull which h vllroplunes con `:it any, iifivh' through the water. lhestern-keel moment he relurned into close proximity to 1&1 1S lfwldll t both SM05 fll'll lgwd 110m' the bottom of the bont for reducineY sneed, Zlll lll?mcs Kif fm' l'lllmhlllg lll@ down' i'or :lrolling obstructions or ill `shlillow word pressure nl the propeller. sold planes water; und for this purpose, the invention :xls-o :lss sting in holding the bont stenddyln consists of ll motor-bolli provided with :l tile Water. A rudder-pest Il 1s supported 1n plurality of hydrophlne.; below the bottom, bracket-bearings nt the rear-ends of the which :1re :lpplied to :l movnble keel between Sflll mld Sl'llcl K11 the PFUPGHCY P a stlltiollnry how-keel und stern-keel und turning ln the space between the rear-end of raised or lowered by :l lever-lneclnlnisln' in fil@ SCI'll'lLl 21ml lll@ l'llflde Rl- The Pm' 80 the bont connected with the different ilydropellQr-shzlft P extends in inclined direction planes:zrrnng'ed'below the sume. l through the bottom of the motor-bont ito 'Ille invention consists i'urtller of cel-tuin ill llltlQl 0f ill@ 501110, 21ml HIHS lll Sui@ detnils of construction which will be fully :1blu tlHuSt-beurings ill the bottom of the described hereinafter nud linnlly pointed bont. it being" connected with ond driven by 53 out in the claims. tile engine locnted ill the front-port of the In the accompanying drawings- Figur@ 1 b-.llu in the usunl unlnner. The rear-end of represents :l vertical longitudinal section of the bow-keel l{ ls provided with :l velxlcnl my improved llydroplllne motor-bout, sll0W- 'lL'lWVQ fnl gllldlllg: 'ille iront-end of :l Plovin;r the hydroplnnrs arranged in nornnll poable keel K which ls 'gl-1d( d by lts ,grooved 90 sition cles..x to the bottom of the bont, Fig. Q or forked renrend on the rront-cnd of the is :l vertu-lll longit'udirnl Section. .showingr stern-keel lil; the inner end of the bow-keel' the lll-'droplnnes in lowered position for l :md the front end or' the stern-keel K1 be driving the motor-bont nt, increased speed i122 prorided with transverse stop-pins J by through :he witter. Fig. Il is n vertical long ri` winch the downward motion ef the. movable ludinnl section through the motor-bont, keel KK is limited. The nlo\'l.'\le keel K3 is showing the levenlnechunisnl for control` nlnde A-llpsllnped nl its upper edge corre lingr the lrrdrophules below the bottom ofthe sponding to the steps llt the bottom of the bont. 4 is :l plnn-riew of Fig. I. Figs, bont A. :ind provided with hydroplnnes D 5 und tl :ire respectively :l detail vertical .secwhich nre :ll-ranged :lt :ln oblique ongle to 100 lion :md bottom-vier.vv of one of the siernthe mornble keel K, but parallel with the hydroplnnes :unl of the mechanism for ralisinclined surfaces of the steps d at the bottoni in; r Aor lowering the slime. mld Figs. 7 sind of the bont. The metallic covering; of the S are detllil vertical sections. showing modi steps (1 is connected with the eovei'ivgs of fied constructions of the raisingv and lowerthe :uljnceni steps by means of benbover ining mechanism of the h vdroplanes. tel-locking ends which are riveted together, Similar letters of reference indicate corre as shown in detail in Figs. 5, 7 and -8. li sponding` parts throughout the different the splice between the upper edge of the figures. sterxrkeel and the bottom of the boat are Referring to the drawings, A 'represents arranged a. 'number of hydroplanes D1, 11

Application flled January 27, i909.

Patented Nov. 22, 1910. Serial No. 474,545.

To al! 'fr/lem it muy concern.:

Be it known that I. Cin-lunes llr-znmo,

a t struction, which is a motor-bont of the usual approved conprovlded with protecting which extend across the full width ot the bottom of the boat and which are provided with orwarally-extending Shanks or arms e that are pivoted to brackets e1 attached to the bottom of the boat, as shown in detail in Figs. :fi-S. The hydroplanes D on the keel K and the separate hydroplanes D above the. stern-keel are operated siinultanel onslj7 by a suitable lever-mechanism from a hand-lever L which 1s located in the cen- .f

ter of the boat, said lever being provided with a safety-catch formed by a pawl which engages a notched segment on the lever L,

and which is ooerated by an auxiliaryE handle L adjacent to the handle of the lever L, said auxiliary handle. being connected by a rod with the pawl, as shown in Fig. 3. 1

lSilben the handle of the lever L is grasped by the hand, the auxiliary handle is also taken hold of and the pawl released from the notched disk so that the lever can be operated. The main-lever L, the auxiliary lever-handle L1 and the locking mechanism for the same are. well known and form va safety-device for preventing the accidental release of the lever L. The lever L is mounted on a rock-shaft f that turns in bear- 3 ings f1 at the bottom of theboat, the roekshat being provided with a fulcrumedg crank-arm f2 that is connected at its upper end by amanti-friction roller f3 with a loopshaped lever f4, the opposite end of which is connected by a pivot-link f5 with a stationary arm f on the bottom of the boat.

The center of the lever l4 is pivotcd to the upper end of a guide-red or bar f" which passes through a guide-sleeve /s that is attached to the bottom of the boat and conne teal with the rear-end of the movable keel K3 carrying the hydroplanes D. The lower end of the fulcrum crank-arm fl is further connected by a connecting rod ff' extending in forward direction with a second crankarm 'm near the bow of the boat, which crank-arm is also connected by a looped lever f" with a pivoted guidefod f" that passes through a guide-boa 7' in the bow of the boat and is connected with the front-end of the movable keel K, so that the hdroplanes D, together with their keel, can be simultaneously lowered by the operation of the lever L, L1 to'a certain distance below the step-shaped bottom of the boat. as shown in Fig. Q. The hydroplanes l)1 that are located above the stern-keel K1, are likewise operated by connecting rods fi* from the lever L. said connecting rods actuating the hydroplanes .l 1 by intermediate levers f of the boat F and are pivoted to the hydroplanes D1, as shown in Fig. 5. The ginde- .rods f^ of the stern-hydroplanes D1 may be spring-cushioned by interposing helical springs ry between the guide-rods and movable guideboxes g1, as shown in i' and 8, or in any other approved manner. The upper ends of the movable guide-boxes of A the stern-hydroplanes are connected by transverse bars g? which are raised or lowered by' the fulcrum levers f and connecting rods f fr ni the mainlever L, as shown in Fig. 4. The spring-cushioned sternf hydroplancs can `vield independently in case they are struck by some obstruction, or all the hydroplanes may all be raised simultaneously to avoid being injured by an api preaching obstruction, or when in shallow l Water. i The individual stern-hydroplane may he connected by two longitudinal keels, one on each side of the central longitudinal axis of .the boat. or all the bydroplanes mabbe made iinlependentl)v movable without using a keel, but for the sake of stability and strength a movable keel for the bow-lrvdroplanes is preferred. Further.y all the guiderods for' the nydroplanes max vv be springcushioned, if desired, or arranged without. springs, when simplicity of construction is i desired. Any suitable lever-mechanisai for operating the hvdroplanes may be used, so 2 as not to confine the invention to the lconstruction shown.

,The improved lrvdroplane motor-boat has i two speeds: one as an ordinary motor-boat, in which cese the intermediate and stern ih tldroplanes are placed in close proximity i to.the bottom ofthe boat; andthe second, an increased speed, when all the hydroplanesare lowered. The lfnvcring ot' all the hydrotuation oll the main-lever L, which b v its councz'tion with. the iute'uicliiatc hydroplam-s l) and the stern-h\'droplancs D1 operates all at the same time so as to form :rst-cond bottom` so to say, formed of the lrvdroplanes below the bottom of the boat. 'whereby the; are all placed in inclined 1n-hingv position iu the water, as shown in i 'Fig'. When the hydroplaues are lowered a much greater speed is obtained as they cut. at a certain inclination through the water. whereby the bow of the boat is raised above the water, so as to glide over the water, eliminating,r thereby the friction of the boat. with the water, and creating an :nirspace between the bottom and the hydroplaues wht-roby thesnetion effect. on the fast-runningboat is eliminated. s

"hen the bout is moving through the watt-.r with the hydroplancs in lowered po- `sition, the speed can be instantly reduced in ease an obstacle is floating in thepath of the boat, b v reversing the. lever and raising thereby all the hydrinilancs so as to hug the bottom of the boat. "hen the danger of planes is produced simultaneously b v the achydroplaues are again hovered by return- 111g them. by menus of the lever 11111 lowered position to the required distziuve from tbn' The eouiufrtiou of rear-end of the l1.'\`\\'-l\'eel :1nd the front-end of the Stern-laeel. sei-rex to keep the movable lief-l with iff; o vilroplanes rigidly 11a positiou :1nd prevent my lateral iuotiou ol" the same. The h vdroplauesl ou the movable keel :11rd the stern-hydroplaues. being set :1t :111 oblique angle to the urtare ot' the water. are lowered wht-u full S1 ed 1.2 applied. 11

as to glide over the Surfm-o ot' the water z md force the bow b v the iiupulfe imparted 5 t0 the boat e11lir1l5w Hut of the water so that moral-c h 'fdroplaues loeaeil above air spnees- :1re obtained betueeu the bottom of the boat :1nd the livdroplauiw. \\l power is grained b v redueihg the red ruwe ot' the boat with the water. For doubling' the speed of :111 ordinary uioor-mat. it requires about eight times the pow-r required for the ordinar speed: while with 111)* i111- prored hydro]1h111e-a1lachuh-ut. it only the doubling of the pou'er to double the speed.

The depth ot' the buur-keel :1nd ot' the steril-keel increases 'radualir to `sueh :1 depth that when the iuteruiediale hydrophmes :1re lowered. the movable heel 'forms' with the bou' nud -\ter11-keel.-; one eoutiuuous line of gradually iut-reusing' depth. This gradilally iut'reuiog depth oi the leels i111 parts great Stabilityto the boat u'heu ru11- ning at full speed. u'hile :it the s111111 time the greater depth et the stern-keel adds greatly to the steadiress ot' the boat :is it arts ou the nature of :1 renter-board.

It is obvious that the lever-uiethauisui for hovering or raisingr the h'vdroplzmes may be actuated by hund. or iu larger boats. by electric. hydrnulie or other power.

The h rdropla11e instead ot being of flat.

.'Fti'aight shape. may be eorrugated. upwardly Curved. angular. convex or mm1-are. or ot any other Shape. or two o1- more sel of hydroplnue. one below the other. 111:15' be arranged, all of u'hieh :1re modifieatious` of lij'droplnues :1nd Within the seope of this invention.

The h vdroplaues are uotouly applies-.ble to motor-boats for sporting,purpoaes. but

also for Steamboat#` of larger Size, and eren to 'sailing vessels whenever 1111 inerease'of speed .is desired. Haring thus deaerihed my invention, I claim :1s new and desire to Sec-ure by Letters Patent:

1. A motor-bont having a bottom pron'ded with a series of Steps each having an .abrupt face, inclined and' movable hydrorwpiires Y of the irrelwilillg dep.

L'. motor-bout provid-'d with :1 bow-heel iill. :1 ,'ten-l-Ieifl abo iueiezng grmluzilli-x iu depth. au interiediate heel beiueeu the bou' aud fteru lcrei., rxlr' 11h-111er' :Jippie-tml o1: aid intermediate loel. :1111i lever 111e hauims for lowering' or 1';1i.-i11; 1' iiie ilzlei'zzsediuie kerl and h \'dropl:111-..` ou tlu; same.

Il.' luoior-boat provided with :1 lum-keel infie-1411; --':1l11:1ll \l iu depth. a Aero-heel aim iu11'ea.-.11; :1ll1:ill iu depth. :111 iuiermediate heel guidi-1l ou the bou' and sternheel. h 'fdroplauw ssupported ou said interumuate heil. a uiuuber of indi-1zeulleutlyille 1111 el. :1111i le\er-uxeeluuiisiu for raisiuh $11! erin; siu1ulta11eou-l the intermediate :11..i .4m-u hydroplaues.

4. 1|1oor-l1o11t provided with u stationary l111\rlc1-:=l. a nationaux siero-keel. both graduallv iuereaougr iu depth7 aud a movable hydro?dane-heel guided ou the ends of the hou :11:11 sir-r11 heee. :1nd h vdroplaues 011 said interina-dime heel.

iunior-hout provided with a .sterolwel of grafhmllr-ilu-reusing depth, the upper edge of the steru-l eel being at; s011111 dis tane.l helou' the bottoni ot the boat, :1nd :1 number of independent h vdroplaues ioeated iu .mid space and exteudi"f transversely belou' the bottom ol' the boat. :md lever-meehauism for .\iiuulta11eous.r lowering or raisin;r said h rdi-nplauf-s.

G. A motor-bout provided with :t eternlteel of imei-easing depth. the upper edge of the stern-livel being :1i mme di ta11ee below the bottom oithe boat, a number of independent lrvdroplaues loeated i11 Said space :md extending tralxsvewely below the bottom of the boat. cushioning1111*:1115 for the hydroplaue, and means 'for loweringr or raising said independent h cdr-'iplam-S.

T. f1 motor-boat provided with a sternlteel of A 1l :ally ilu-reusing depth, Said sti'lru-lm-l fiamma :1 space between its 11ppt-r edge aud ille bottom of the boat. :1 1111111- ber of independent l1 \'droplaues. each pivoted to the ouder-side of the boatT springe Cushioned guide-rods connected with Said hyilroplaues. guide-b1mes` for the `fluide-rods. 11nd lever-meehnnisui connected with the guide-rods for r uiultarieouslx' lowering or raising said hydroplanes.

S. A motor-boat provided with a sierukeel of gradually-iuereftsiug depth` said stern-keel forming an open YSpace.between its upper-edge and the bottom of the boat. the boat hydroplunes pivoted to the bottom of the boat, Guide-boxes passing through'the bottom of the boat., guide-rods pivoted to as my invention, I have signed my name La presence of two subscrlbmg wxtnesses.

CHARLES MELDAU.

W'tnesses:

PAUL GOEPEL, ERNEST T. F. LomIANN. 

